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Comments
Here is the explanation given by my area service manager: Veh is equipped with a Body control function for bifuel usage and will continue to crank the engine until fuel percentage is determined and delivery program is committed for actual fuel delivery.
Wonder why my other 2005 GM vehicle does not do this?
Problem...I am in arbitration so he won't touch it
I live in Calgary. Canada and we get 5-6 months of snow with about every 3 weeks getting above 0 celsius for a few days. We also do get a fair bit of rain (Got to love living near the mountains!!)
Is there that much of an advantage to having AWD? We don't do off-roading or anything like that. Mainly highway driving.
I don't like the idea of losing horsepower by getting the AWD, but would the AWD make up for the lose of HP and you have more wheels powering the vehicle?
Hope that makes sense,
Thanks.
Please use the search feature and find out the information already covered.
P.S. The 3.9 liter is a lot stronger than the 3.5. Unless you need the AWD get the 3.9! :P
Has anyone put chains on their FWD SV6, Uplander, Relay or Terraza? I'm wondering if there is enough clearance that you may be able to use the cable chains?
My question is what kind of conditions warrant getting the AWD? and does having AWD make up for the loss of HP from the 3.9L FWD engine?
Thanks
4 steels and 4 winters - you won't regret it.
4 steels and 4 winters - you won't regret it.
+1
Thank you both for opening the eyes of the rest of us on the internet. Please go forth and spread the word at other sites. Those of us on Edmunds are all blessed by the enlightenment you've given us, so you don't need to waste further time on us. Please, feel free to share the wealth with the rest of the world now.
These vans are slowly on their way "out the pasture" anyway, so it's all just some relatively minor stuff to make the end of their life a little sweeter.
2007 Chevrolet Uplander
Deletions:
(15U) Sandstone Metallic exterior color
(38U) Emerald Jewel Metallic exterior color
(53U) Amber Bronze Metallic exterior color
CX12216 All-Wheel Drive model
(T56) Rear spoiler
(LX9) 3.5L 3500 V6 SFI engine
New Features:
(14U) Light Amethyst Metallic exterior color
(35U) Polar Blue Metallic exterior color
(51U) Gold Mist Metallic exterior color
(81U) Medium Brown Metallic exterior color - not available at start of production
(P04) 17" aluminum wheels
(P23) 17" 5-spoke, Bright Chrome clad aluminum wheels
Dual-zone manual air conditioning on 2LT and 3LT models
Deluxe floor mats on 2LT and 3LT models
(LGD) 3.9L 3900 V6 SFI FlexFuel engine, capable of running on unleaded or up to 85% ethanol - interim availability
Changes:
(LZ9) 3.9L 3900 V6 SFI engine is now standard on all models
DVD removed from LS models, remains only on LT models
2007 Buick Terraza
Deletions:
All-Wheel Drive model 4X12216
(LX9) Engine, 3.5L 3500 V6 SFI
(FE4) Suspension, 4-wheel independent, Sport
(FE5) Suspension, 4-wheel independent
Exterior Color (15U) Cashmere Metallic
Exterior Color (38U) Emerald Green Metallic
Exterior Color (53U) Sandstone Metallic
(N85) Wheels, 17" 10-spoke aluminum
New Features:
Exterior Color (14U) Light Quartz Metallic
Exterior Color (35U) Polar Blue Metallic
Exterior Color (51U) Gold Mist Metallic
Introduction of new CX base contented vehicle (1SA)
(FE3) Suspension, Ride and Handling, includes (G67) automatic level control on 1SB and 1SD
(FE1) Suspension, Ride and Handling.
(UE1) OnStar with Directions and Connections plan including Turn-By-Turn navigation
(N85) Wheels, 17" (43.2 cm) 8-spoke aluminum
Changes:
(LZ9) 3.9L 3900 V6 SFI engine is now the standard engine
CX 1SB trim level is now referred to as CX Plus
(VEH) Regular Production Accessory, overhead storage consoles are no longer an RPA, now factory installed
Overhead bins inserts for first aid kit, CD/DVD storage and sunglasses holder are now only available through GM Accessories
(15U) Sandstone Metallic exterior color
(38U) Emerald Jewel Metallic exterior color
(53U) Amber Bronze Metallic exterior color
CX12216 All-Wheel Drive model
(T56) Rear spoiler
(LX9) 3.5L 3500 V6 SFI engine
Odie
Also the only selling point I see in the base Uplander is the standard DVD so now I guess there will be less people buying base Uplanders.
I am surprised they are getting rid of the AWD option, I see a lot of AWD vans in the Toronto area.
If you don't mind giving up those 2 the GM vans can be a very good deal though.
I'd say take it. There is no way you can get an Odyssey EX-L or Sienna XLE for $24K.
I would test drive a few minivans and come back to the Terraza, that deal will still be there. The important thing to remember you have to buy the best vehicle that fits your family needs. Magazine reviews, online forums, etc. are nice tools but it is ultimately your decision. I cna give you my opinion but I'm not paying for your vehicle and you don't know me from Adam.
like I mention earlier, take some more test drives, get some more quotes and then make your decision. You are asking the right questions but I think you know the answers as well.
I believe there is a leasing forum here on Edmunds. Lots of knowledgable folks on that board.
Many people make a big issue about how the Sienna and Odyssey have seats that fold into the floor. The problem is that these seats are rather uncomfortable, and have excessive spinal flexion positioning. The back seats also have minimal leg room, which did not impress our 2 middle-school aged boys. They also result in a van that sits too low to the ground, in my opinion, making the van less functional during camping trips and snowy situations. The Sienna that we drove “moaned” loudly during acceleration, had excessively sensitive steering, and had an annoying stutter at highway speeds (transmission problems? A/C compressor clutch issues?). It was a bit noisy as well forget about hearing the people in the back seat. The conversation mirror was clever but rather cheap, and was consistent with many of the other controls and features. If you look at the open forum websites for the Toyota and Honda, these vehicles (especially Honda Odyssey) are having some less than cosmetic problems (transmission problems, among them). The GM minivans have solid power trains, and most of the 2005 problems have been corrected for the 2006 model year. After renting the Toyota Sienna, we were ready to turn it back in no one was impressed with it.
Although the Toyota and Sienna try to make their vehicles look more “modern,” in reality they do not have the luxurious ride or feel of the Uplander and its cousins. The stark, annoying blue night-time lighting on the Sienna instrument cluster is a good example of how Toyota is more glitter than guts. The lack of a spare tire on the Odyssey and Sienna did not make much sense to me either. We were so impressed with the Uplander that we had rented that we recently ordered/purchased one with the 3900 engine. It is very quiet, silky-smooth, and comfortable, and the 3900 has plenty of low end torque. We are getting 30 mpg on flat surfaces on the highway at 55 mph, 26 mpg at 65 mpg. This is better than the real mileage that Sienna and Odyssey are actually getting (they do not get their EPA numbers, but the GM's do). The seats in the Uplander are a cut above the rest, with captain’s chairs that provide proper spinal positioning. I have gone over the van with a fine tooth comb and have found the initial quality to be very good. It was built at the Doraville, GA plant in February. I have not found any significant flaws yet. The 3900 engine does not have the “flickering light” issue that occurred in the 2005’s with the 3.5L engine. We have not experienced any of the other problems that people have published in this forum for the 2005 model year (so far).
One recommendation: buy the GM van with the 3900 engine, not the 3.5L engine. It makes a HUGE difference. Vans with this engine are not being discounted much and may be hard to find, so you may have to do a factory order to get it configured the way you want it. We received ours in about 4 weeks.
I found the reviews by the mass media to be fairly worthless for my van search. Their preferences do not line up with mine. You may find the same to be true for you as well.
Has the van been perfect? No. We've had some common issues: side moldings, stiff horn pad, and some minimal sporadic light flicker. The moldings are being replaced this week, the horn springs were replaced under a GM TSB. The light flicker is still with us, even after changing the alternator. However, it is so minimal and so infrequent that it's barely worth mentioning and certainly not a safety issue for us. In my opinion these minor inconveniences have be outweighed by the SUV styling, 17" wheels, DVD player(3 kids), 22 mpg in the city, nice looking interior, great seats, and Onstar. All that equipment for around ten grand less than a comparably equipped "whatever" was enough to win us over. By the way, the 200 hp 3.5 liter engine, while not class-leading, does a good job. Yes, I would love to have the 3.9 but it certainly wasn't a deal breaker, neither were the "fold in-floor seats." The seats are a good compromise because the fold almost into the floor, but still provide full-size support. I doubt that most people would have many occasions to take them completely out. Even so, if GM is going to succeed, it needs to do what it takes to appease the professional reviewers by offering the same features as other vehicles and better than average reliability. While Uplander owners know that these vans are fully functional, prospective buyers are likely steered away by the media and savvy Honda/Toyota sales people.
Dunno if he checked out the CSVs or not, and didn't ask if that changed his intentions. But I definitely know that the redesign's intent of having a more SUVish appearance is definitely working.
Can you not get the same price on an 07?
Article quote:
Uplander minivan is poor performer in side test:
The Institute tested the Chevrolet Uplander with and without its optional side airbags (results apply to similar Buick, Pontiac, and Saturn models). In both tests there were problems with the seats in the middle row. With the optional side airbags, all four attachment points for the seat occupied by the rear passenger dummy completely dislodged. The seat broke free.
In the second test without side airbags, one attachment point released and a second one broke, allowing partial separation of the seat from the floor.
"This didn't worsen the injury measures recorded on the rear dummy, but a real person in a more complicated real-world crash might not fare as well.
Seats should stay attached because they're part of the restraint system, and in real crashes vehicles may roll over or be hit again," Lund explains. If this hadn't happened, the Uplander with optional side airbags would earn a rating of acceptable for protection in side impacts. The seat problem downgrades the rating to marginal.
Without the optional side airbags, the Uplander is poor regardless of the seat problem.
General Motors engineers have identified a fix for the seats and shown the Institute promising data from a prototype test. When this change has been made in production models, the Institute will test the Uplander again and report the results. :lemon: :lemon:
New alternator per TSB
New sliding door moldings(originals were coming off)
New sway bar link on driver side front
Goodyear tires(rear)cupped(very loud highway noise)
Rear 3rd brake light lens cracked(replaced by dealer)
Dealer service has been excellent,but I wonder if this vehicle is going to last???
Regarding the tires, I replaced the GY's with Yokahoma AVID TRZ tires (rated highly on Tire Rack). These have made a huge improvement in wet traction and noise. I'm going to be sure to rotate these every 5k. I've heard enough people comment on the rear tires that I wonder if the rear wheels are causing pre-mature wear or if the GY Integrity's just could not handle the job. One morning we were late for the airport, the van was loaded-down and I was taking the corners really fast. By the time I was almost there, every time I took a hard left it sounded like a wheel bearing(really loud roaring/grinding sound). When we got to the airport I could actually smell smoke (although I didn't see any). I believe that the GY tires were wearing poorly and could not handle my spirited manuevering. Tires fault or van's? I don't know, but I'm only letting these new tires stay on the back for 5K at a time.